Wildlife Count by Debbie O'Rourke: Humber Bay Park East, Toronto

One food source there seems to be plenty of is fish. Different fishing techniques range from the underwater swimming of the cormorants to the aerobatics of the gulls, who hover then drop like a stone to emerge with a bit of wriggling silver. But I have seen or heard no frogs. Along with worms and grasshoppers, they were the wild animals who were most familiar to me as a child. They were everywhere. They should be here.

Ring-billed gull: colour slide

On the log I've improvised until now, communicating with the animals and people, responding to the patterns in the wood and the forces of weather. Now, to ensure quality in the work, its time to stand back and, using my design training, approach it as a problem to solve. Time to draw the log, figure out the many animals I want to record and the best way to arrange them.
The most constant sight now is the barn swallows who hunt this part of the beach. They also sweep over the creek in a path that is the shape of a moebus strip, or an infinity symbol. This could be useful in the design. Other animal visitors are more like companions in a true sense. That same ladybird landed on me many times in the first few days. (The pattern of their spots is very distinctive and since I drew her, I could recognize her) The red-winged blackbird checks me out every day or two. I know its the same one because he always stands and pipes up at me before leaving. He needs to be acknowledged on the sculpture.


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